Lighting unit



oct. 9', 1934. D. H. TUC

'LIGHTING UNIT Filed' Dec. .30 1932 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 avz's H TuckATToRNEx l D. H. TUCK LIGHTING 'UNIT Oct. 9, 1934.

Filed Dec; 30.' 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToIg. avis H ELC/f.

ATTORNEY l Oct. 9, 1934. D, H, TUCK 1,975,879

LIGHTING UNIT Filed Deo. 30.1932 3 sheets-sheet 3 INVENToR. Davis uclc ATTORNEYl Patented Oct. 9, 1934 LIGHTING UNIT Davis H. TuckyNorWalk,Conn., assignor to Holophane Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a.r cor``poration of Delaware Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 649,460

2 Claims. (Cl..40`-132) Unirse S'inifrss-AA PATENrvv orticav A Thepresent invention relates to lighting units and is more particularlydirected toward a dual purpose lighting unit or luminair adapted fordisplay and sign lighting.

The present invention contemplates a unit suitable for this purposedesigned particularly for use in show windows and over counters or otherdisplays for the purpose of illuminating the show window or display andfor the further purpose of 1g providing a sign which attracts theattention of persons outside the show window, or in front of thecounter.

The present invention contemplates a portablev unit forming no part ofthe show window or counter construction designed to produce a verysatisfactory intensity of light projected at a suitable angle toward adisplay, as well as a sign.

In order to obtain the most advantageous light distribution, the presentinvention contemplates 2gv making up the dual purpose unit in the formof an inverted trough adapted to be suspended in a show window orotherwise supported and to receive one or more incandescent lamps (orother rlight sources) each preferably associated with a translucentreflector adapted to project light out through the bottom of thetrough-like member and to transmit a small amount of light toward theside walls of the trough. One or more of these side walls may beprovided with signs adapted to be illuminated by the light transmittedthrough the reiiectors.

The reector or reflectors are preferably designed to provide anasymmetric light distribution so as to project the maximum beam beyondthe side of the trough opposite that which carries the sign. Thisimproves the illumination of a display located behind (and below) thetrough.

Where point source incandescent lamps are employed, each lamp may beplaced in an asymmetric prismatic glass reflector.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, several of V the many embodiments in which the invention maytake form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of theinvention rather than limiting the same. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 2,of one form of dual purpose lighting unit;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the unit shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line -3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4' is aperspective'view of the lighting unitshowing it in hangingposition;` n Y Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lighting unitv inposition for flood lighting or foot lighting from; V underneath; Y I miFig. 6 is a transversev sectional View through a modied formv ofconstruction employing a twopart reflector of glass and metal; and

Fig. 7 is a similar View of a construction-Aem- Y ploying a tubularlight source and a trough-like 55s glass reflector. I

In the form shown inFigs. 1-5 of the drawings', the trough-likestructure 10 is made out of sheetk metal. A comparatively large piece ofmetal'is' bent toform a rectangular upper ortop-wall 111170 a rear wall12, and a front wall 13. The lower edge of the rear walls is folded backto provide a reinforcing bead 14 as indicated. End plates 15 form theends of the trough. They have flanges riveted or spot welded asindicated at 16.

The lower edge of the front wall or panel 13 is bent to form a channel17 adapted to receive a glass plate 18. This glass plate may betransparent or diffusing, or partly opaque, and carries any appropriatesign. It is received behind an open- Soi ing 19 in the front panel 13 ofthe trough. The glass plate 18 is held in place by two clips 21 slidablymounted on bolts 22 carried in the top wall 11. This arrangementfacilitates insertion of the glass panel or its removal. Y

A number of lamp sockets 25 are secured in place in the upper or toppart 11 of the trough forming member. These sockets open downwardly andare adapted to carry incandescent lamps l 26 and prismatic glassreflectors 27, preferably 90A having an asymmetric light distribution asindicated by the photometric curve C. As the plane of the lower face ofthese reflectors is oblique to the axis as indicated, it is preferableto give the trough-like member the cross section indicated, as itaffords suitable screening and a protection for the reflectors.

The trough-like member may be provided with an inverted sheet metalchannel member 30 se'- cured in place by bolts indicated at 30 to form100- a wiring channel. The unit may carry two loops 31 to facilitatesupporting it on chains, as indicated at 32. These chains are so placedthat the center of gravity is underneath the chains so that the unithangs true. The wires may be led in through a bushing, indicated at 33,carried in the end of the wiring channel.

A unit such as above described may be conveniently mounted in a showwindow at a suitable height so as to not interfere with observing thedisplay. It will provide a strong and intense illumination on thearticles in the show window or display, and at the same time willprovide an attractive sign.

The form shown in Fig. 6 employs a trough l0 like that shown in Figs.1-4. The incandescent lamps are shown at 40. Instead of prismatic glassreiiectors, a metal reflector 41 and diffusing glass plate 42 areemployed to direct most of the light l0 downwardly and rearwardly. Theglass is preferably rather dense, but suiiiciently translucent to passlight to the sign panel 18. The reector 41 may be supported by straps 43and screws 44, and the glass 42 by clips 45 and a channel 46.

In the form shown in Fig. 7, the reiiector is in the form of atranslucent trough 50. It receives a long light source 51, such as aneon tube, a mercury lamp, or two or more incandescent lamps. Sockets 55for supporting two such lamps may be secured to the ends of the trough.One edge 52 ofthe glass trough is received in a channel 53 of the metaltrough and the other edge is held in place by clips 54e The trough 50may be formed of prismatic glass of the desired design, or one -may usea bent piece of dense diffusing glass.

' Where the advantages `of light control by reiiectors of efficientdesign are not required, one can employ a trough with a light reflectingpaint or coating, shaped as shown, or formed into a 30,.,'1ongreflector.

The device may be readily adapted for use as a foot light for amateurtheatricals by resting on the oor at the front of the stage, thetranslucent sign being blocked out or rendered opaque in any V^4convenient manner. The device may also be used 55 6oA 65 i for footlighting of windows. As shown in Fig. 5, it may be placed on the flooroi the show window just behind the glass. In this case the chains arenot necessary, and the sign will, of course, be made up to read in theproper manner.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms andconstructions within the scope of the claims, and I wish it to beunderstood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the manyforms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do nototherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A luminair for display and sign lighting, said luminair having a rowof light sources each carried in translucent asymmetric reiiectorsadapted to project maximum beams in the same in a lateral direction, atranslucent sign alongside the reflectors and adapted to be illuminatedby the light which escapes through the reiiectors, and a trough-like Veclosure for the reflectors and light sources and having an open side toreceive the sign, the enclosure having an open side arranged at an acuteangle to the sign for the transmission oi light from the reflectors,said enclosure being opaque except for the open side thereof and thesign, said reflectors boing of a shape that the edges of the open sidesthereof lie substantially parallel to the open side of the enclosure.

2. A luminair as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sign is on the sideof the reilectors forwardly of the direction of maximum beam so that thesign does not obstruct the View of the display to the rear of theluminair.

DAVIS H. TUCK.

iis

